


Pearl's Morning

by CaptainJZH



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Fic Exchange, Fluff, Gen, Gift Fic, calming, implied polypearls
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-04
Updated: 2020-01-04
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:07:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,205
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22120795
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaptainJZH/pseuds/CaptainJZH
Summary: Every morning was a good one for Pearl.This is one of those mornings.
Relationships: Blue Diamond's Pearl & Pearl & Yellow Diamond's Pearl (Steven Universe), Pearl & Greg Universe, Pearl & Pink Diamond’s Original Pearl | Volleyball, Pearl & Steven Universe
Comments: 7
Kudos: 84
Collections: The Cluster's Secret Santa Fic Exchange 2019





	Pearl's Morning

**Author's Note:**

  * For [love_killed_the_superstar](https://archiveofourown.org/users/love_killed_the_superstar/gifts).



Pearl’s morning began like all other morning: Promptly at midnight, just as Eastern Standard Time dictated. Of course, humanity’s timekeeping methods weren’t as efficient as she would have liked, but that was one of the little sacrifices she made for Steven. Even if Daylight Savings Time confused the  _ stars  _ out of her.

_ “Thrust! Parry! Thrust! Parry!”  _ the HoloPearl she summoned repeated, as part of Pearl’s daily workout routine. Her physical form may have been a conscious manifestation of light, but she wouldn’t dare let her skills run dull from lack of practice.

“Thrust!” Pearl finally said with a smirk, forcing her sword through the HoloPearl’s chest.

_ “Challenger is victorious!”  _ HoloPearl proclaimed.  _ “You are [THE GREATEST] sword-fighter of all time!” _

“Oh, why thank you,” Pearl faux-giggled. “Holopearl, deactivate.”

_ “Thank you for your glorious combat!” _

As her holographic mimicry vanished, Pearl placed the sword back inside her gem and stepped down from the fountain-esque platforms that made up her room. Opening the door into the Beach House, she was careful to be quiet, lest she wake Steven. He was in what her parenting books called the “adolescent laziness” phase. Seeing as it was a Saturday, she was going to let him sleep in.

Pearl summoned her itinerary for the day from her gem. “Let’s see, let’s see,” she muttered. “Ah yes, 1am-3am: Chores!”

Chores were one of Pearl’s favorite past-times. It was one of the few times she got to be by herself, and she relished these early morning hours for that very reason. First item of the day was the dishes. With Steven and Amethyst being the only eaters of the house, it wasn’t that much to clean, though with Amethyst she never knew if she had to scrub for food or motor oil. Second was folding Steven’s clothes. Pearl prided herself on folding Steven’s clothes to the highest extent of neatness, with every crease being as sharp as possible. Third was sweeping and dusting, which she admittedly didn’t like as much as the others, but a clean house was a happy house, Pearl figured. Fourth and finally was taking Steven’s dirty laundry up to the Temple Hand. 

As Pearl materialized on the warp pad, she breathed in the cool morning air. It invigorated her, as did the stars above, still visible at this hour. She’d gotten into the habit over the past few millennia of always checking where Homeworld’s galaxy was in the sky. It was fruitless, of course; she knew the light from that spot was 2.5 million years old, but she developed the habit nonetheless. It was comforting, in a way. To remember where she came from, out in the stars.

Pearl shook away her musings as she finished loading up the washer, noting that the sun was rising. Chore-time was over, but up next was her second-place pick for favorite past-time: Shopping. Today was grocery day, and she had just clipped out a new sheet of coupons that night, ready and eager for use.

The supermarket wasn’t in Beach City, but it was just thirty minutes down the main highway. Which required the use of Greg’s Dondai. Greg had the keys, so Pearl grabbed her coupon book and started walking up the beach. Approaching the Big Donut, she spotted some familiar faces sitting outside enjoying some coffee.

“Yellow! Blue! Volleyball!” Pearl exclaimed, rushing towards the multicolored trio. “What’re you three doing outside of Little Homeworld?”

“Oh, so we’re not allowed to  _ leave,  _ are we?” Yellow Pearl remarked, raising her eyebrow in an exaggerated fashion. “I’m… What did Steven say it was? Joking? I’m joking!” She then laughed at her own joke.

“We were just enjoying the view,” Blue Pearl remarked, noting the sunrise dazzling the ocean horizon.

“And this ‘coffee’ Mr. Dewey gave us,” Volleyball, formerly known as Pink Pearl, smiled, cradling a cup in her hands.

“After we told him that,  _ no,  _ we aren’t ‘single,’ whatever that means,” Yellow Pearl rolled her eyes.

“He seemed very flustered,” Blue Pearl commented.

“Oh, he’s always like that,” Pearl chuckled. “Anyway, I’m off to do some grocery shopping. See you three later?”

“Of course,” Volleyball nodded.

Upon reaching the car wash, Pearl realized that Greg was, as usual, asleep in the van. Still, she needed those keys, and she’d yet to accept Amethyst’s offer to teach her the “keyless” method of starting a car.

“Greg?” Pearl knocked lightly on the van door. “Do you have the Dondai keys?”

“Wha...?” Greg murmured. “No, I don’t want any of your  _ Grilled Scott  _ cookies…”

“Greg!”

“I’m up!” Greg shouted from in the van, scrambling to make himself decent. “Oh, hey Pearl,” he said once he finally opened the door. “What’d you need?”

“The Dondai keys. I’m hoping to get to the store when they open at 7.”

“Right! The keys!” Greg exclaimed, diving into his crummy mattress in search of the items. “Found them! You can just scrape off the ketchup stains.”

Pearl blinked.

“I ran out of plastic spoons, okay?”

“I’ll add that to my list,” Pearl smiled, unfazed by Greg’s uncleanliness. “Have a nice morning!”

“Thanks, you too,” Greg said as he collapsed back on his mattress.

At the supermarket, Pearl picked out her cart and got shopping. She had read up on nutritional diets and, taking into account Steven’s Half-Gem nature, assembled a list of foods and drinks that would be both healthy and tasty for the boy.

“Low-fat waffles… Check. Low-carb pizza crust… Check. Baked potato fries… Check. Sugar-free ice cream... Check.”

It was all food that Steven typically enjoyed, but healthier. She knew, of course, that Steven could easily get his usual favorites at the Big Donut, Fish Stew Pizza and Beach Citywalk Fries, but she wouldn’t be a true caregiver if she wasn’t trying her very best for the boy.

“Pearl?” she heard a familiar voice call out. Turning her head, Pearl saw Dr. Maheswaran over by the produce.

“Oh, Dr. Maheswaran! It’s good to see you. How’s Connie?”

“She’s doing well! She just finished up with her yearly standardized tests.”

“Oh? I should look into having Steven take those.”

“He’s homeschooled, right?”

“I do what I can. It’s not exactly the most orthodox curriculum, but he’s brighter than people expect.”

“Glad to hear it. Connie’s sword practice is at 3:00 today, isn’t it?”

“I believe it is! You’re free to sit in on it, if you’d like.”

“I can’t, I’m afraid. I got the afternoon shift at the hospital. But...some other time.”

“Of course.”

After saying goodbye to Dr. Maheswaran and paying for her items, Pearl drove back to Beach City, the time now around 10am. She began making Steven his breakfast. Steven would wake shortly afterwards, to the smell of waffles, bacon and eggs.

“Wow, smells great, Pearl!” Steven exclaimed, his eyes turning starry.

“Why, thank you, Steven,” Pearl nodded. “It’s just about ready.”

Steven hopped down the stairs, happy to start the day. Pearl agreed with that sentiment; especially as Amethyst and Garnet emerged from the Temple to join them. She poured Amethyst a cup of windshield-washer fluid and sat down next to Garnet.

“Good morning,” Garnet greeted.

“Good morning,” Pearl replied, although that wasn’t saying much.

Every morning was a good one for Pearl.

**Author's Note:**

> Written as part of the 2019 Cluster Christmas Fic Exchange!


End file.
